A failure of an era: Gonzalez, Crawford, Beckett, Punto off to LAD – but at what cost to both teams?

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The deal that all of New England, California, and Red Sox nation have been on the edge of their seats about is done. As well as an era, or an era that Boston tried to create. Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Josh Beckett and Nick Punto are members of the LA Dodgers.

Now, don’t get me wrong, something seriously bad was happening in the clubhouse of Fenway Park. Josh Beckett, the supposed leader of the beer and fried chicken brigade, was an obvious move out. Crawford, injury prone and when he was playing was not worth the millions he was paid. But the scariest thing for Boston is the loss of Adrian Gonzalez. It adds so many questions, and so many regrets.

Adrian Gonzalez could’ve been a serious candidate for MVP had the first half of the season gone better. He is a vital piece to the Red Sox success, and his RBI may be irreplaceable. While a first baseman from the Dodgers (James Loney, a career .284 hitter) was sent, he is not a real replacement, at .254 this season with 33 RBI, compared to Gonzalez’s .300 and 86 RBI.

But this was a deal that had to be made. Beckett and Crawford had to be taken off of Boston’s shoulders connected to their quality of play and injuries, as well as the salaries and bad memories that were connected to a failure of an era. But the Dodgers would not take on these players without a sweet spot in the deal. Nick Punto was a pawn in this trade, as a little bait. But they got to the big bait – Adrian Gonzalez, whose quality of play could make up for the others.

The Red Sox lost one of their best hitters and leaders. Adrian Gonzalez was not something they wanted to give up. Even so, they ended up doing just that. But the Dodgers didn’t get off of here worry free. Crawford and Beckett at their bests are incredible and at their worst are absolutely dreadful. The Dodgers will have to recreate them or get rid of them fast, because otherwise, those guys are just taking up space in the clubhouse.